Complete the APA accredited internship and residency hours, a student would then take and pass the state licensing exam and become a licensed psychologist in that state. In some states such as Louisiana and New Mexico psychologist allow psychologist to prescribe medication after completing the proper training, which is normally a post-doctoral certificate or masters in psycho-pharm a psychology. The new law requires psychologists to undergo additional training, including 450 hours of course work in neuroanatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and psychopharmacology. They will also have to pass a 400-hour practical and tend to 100 patients under a doctor's supervision before passing a national exam. After successfully passing the exam they will be issued a limited license allowing them to prescribe drugs for two years under a doctor's supervision. Only then can they apply for an independent license (Josefson, …show more content…
A meeting with a psychiatrist might last fifteen to twenty minutes because he already read the clients chart and he already knows what he's going to prescribe. He or she is just going to talk to the client to confirm what’s on the paperwork and ensure the client is allergic to any medication that he is going to prescribe. After that he will explain each medication that he's going to prescribe and give the client a prescription to take to the pharmacy. This is why an assessment is normally conducted before the client sees the psychiatrist, which is normally conducted by the psychologist. The client will meet with the psychiatrist only after receiving a consultation from another mental health profession such as social worker or a psychologist. After that the client receives his consultation he will meet with a psychologist once a week for treatment which will include counseling or therapy and the client will probably meet with the psychiatrist once a month to make sure the side affects are kept to a minimum. Most psychologists function in the role of therapist, while psychiatrists’ function in the role of a medical doctor. A psychiatrist can legally function in the role of a therapist, but most will not for a numerous amount of reasons. Some reason includes having structure in the workplace, the client to psychiatrist ratio and to respect the psychologist. If the psychiatrist provided therapy, then